Celebrating Two Decades of Excellence: The 20th Anniversary of the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library
By Zoe Elrod, Internal Communications Coordinator
Downtown Library, Special Collections Archive
On August 17, 2024, the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of service, learning, and community engagement in the Arts District. This 114,130-square-foot facility has been a cornerstone of education and cultural enrichment since its inception in 2004. Library services in downtown Oklahoma City began in 1901 with the Carnegie Library at NW 3rd and Robinson Ave, supported by the Philomathea Club and Andrew Carnegie. The original Carnegie Library was razed to build a new library Metro Library Employee, Special Collections Archive on the same site, which opened in 1954 at 131 NW 3rd (now Dean A. McGee). This library notably reopened quickly after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, primarily repairing damage to its windows to resume serving the community. In 1993, voters approved the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) initiative, which funded the construction of the new Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library. Named after former Mayor Ron Norick, who championed the MAPS program, the library opened on August 17, 2004, equipped with modern amenities and technology to meet the evolving needs of its patrons. The library offers classrooms, study rooms, conference facilities, a children’s program room, the Route 66 Computer Lab, the 46th Star Auditorium, and the Friends Event Room. It houses extensive collections and services on two floors, with spaces for meetings and offices. It provides book returns and modern amenities like public computers, mobile printing, free Wi-Fi, and comprehensive copying and scanning services, including Wi-Fi hotspots for checkout. Specialized collections include Genealogy, Americans and the Holocaust, topographic maps, and the Special Collections and Research Department, preserving materials like primary sources, photographs, and rare books about Oklahomans in the Oklahoma Room. The library also offers Experience Passes for local attractions such as the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the Oklahoma History Center. Today, the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library stands as a pillar of Oklahoma City, hosting events like Paranormal Fest, LitFest, Geek Con, storytimes, adult programming, punk shows, arts and crafts, puppet shows, and more. As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, the library continues evolving to meet community needs while upholding excellence in education, culture, and community spirit. Here's to many more years of growth, learning, and service at the heart of Oklahoma City. Happy 20th anniversary to the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library! 10
info magazine · Metropolitan Library System · August 2024